AN ACT
1-1 relating to the qualifications of a county purchasing agent and to
1-2 county purchasing procedures.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 262.011, Local Government Code, is
1-5 amended by adding Subsection (p) to read as follows:
1-6 (p) During each two-year term of office, a county purchasing
1-7 agent shall complete not less than 25 hours in courses relating to
1-8 the duties of the county purchasing agent. The courses must be:
1-9 (1) accredited by a nationally recognized college or
1-10 university; or
1-11 (2) recognized by a national purchasing association,
1-12 such as the National Association of Purchasing Management; or
1-13 (3) courses offered by state agencies related to
1-14 purchasing.
1-15 SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 262.023, Local Government
1-16 Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-17 (a) Before a county may purchase one or more items under a
1-18 contract that will require an expenditure exceeding $25,000
1-19 [$15,000], the commissioners court of the county must comply with
1-20 the competitive bidding or competitive proposal procedures
1-21 prescribed by this subchapter. All bids or proposals must be
1-22 sealed.
1-23 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 262.026, Local Government
1-24 Code, is amended to read as follows:
2-1 (a) The county official who makes purchases for the county
2-2 shall open the bids on the date specified in the notice. The date
2-3 specified in the notice may be extended if the commissioners court
2-4 determines that the extension is in the best interest of the
2-5 county. All bids, including those received before an extension is
2-6 made, must be opened at the same time. The commissioners court may
2-7 adopt an order that delegates the authority to make extensions
2-8 under this subsection to the county official who makes purchases
2-9 for the county [by the commissioners court if an error is
2-10 discovered in the original specifications or the nature of the item
2-11 to be purchased requires an extension for the county to best use
2-12 the provisions of Section 262.030].
2-13 SECTION 4. The change in law made by Section 1 of this Act,
2-14 relating to the requirement that a county purchasing agent complete
2-15 25 hours in courses involving county purchasing, applies only to
2-16 each term of office of a county purchasing agent that begins on or
2-17 after the effective date of this Act.
2-18 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-19 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the
2-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1669 passed the Senate on
April 16, 1999, by a viva-voce vote; and that the Senate concurred
in House amendment on May 21, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1669 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 19, 1999, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor